ADRC committee outlines staged options to reduce Nutrition Program costs

ADRC staff presented a Nutrition Program budget update Aug. 24 and the committee discussed a sequence of steps to reduce costs if required. Heidi Chavez, Beth Hoerchler, and Mya Olkowski outlined a prioritized plan: (1) assess current Home Delivered Meal (HDM) clients but make no cuts to existing recipients; assess new applicants as low/moderate/high need and deny meals to low-need applicants; contact Vilas County residents and direct them to Vilas County ADRC or request Vilas pay full meal cost; (2) reduce Rhinelander, Woodruff, and Three Lakes dining sites to three days per week and offer frozen meals to HDM clients on the other two days; (3) rearrange HDM routes and possibly reduce served areas in Oneida County; (4) increase the client contribution price (last increased Nov. 2025); and (5) start a waiting list for new HDM clients if necessary.